Ma'am, That is Not the Intended Use
by Silver Supa
Summary: As far as ideas go, using the awe-inspiring and infinite temporal powers of the Chamber of Time to redo her date with Diana over and over until she looks smooth and confident might not be one of Akko's better ones...
1. In Which Akko Gains Mastery Over Time

…because actually, it was the _best_ idea she ever had in her entire life. Why didn't she think of doing this ages ago? And as soon as she snapped the small emerald gemstone onto the bracelet, she jumped off her bed.

"Tada!" She said, proudly waving her wrist for her roommates to see. "The bracelet's finally done, guys! Which means I'm as ready as I can be for tonight!"

Lotte shifted awkwardly on her chair, clearly not sharing her considerable enthusiasm. "Are you sure you're not…overreacting with all this? Because this might not be…you know…"

Sucy, sitting indifferently on her own bed, decided to finish as Lotte trailed off. "Pretty sure she means the fact that you're weaponizing the limitless power of time travel…to try and impress a girl on a date. You really think this won't blow up in your face?"

Akko waved her hand, the smile still bright on her cheeks. "Yeah, I _know_ a lot of my plans sometimes don't go… _totally_ how they're supposed to, but that's exactly why this one is so smart! This way, it won't even matter if I mess up, because I got _this!_ "

She continued to wave her newest bracelet around, excited to show it off to someone. At first glance, it was nothing more than a cheap metal band hanging loosely off her wrist. And for the most part, that was what it literally was. The only thing even remotely eye-catching was the light green gemstone now firmly secured on top. And with any luck, no one but the three of them would ever realize it was the same type of emerald gemstone that encrusted the giant clock within the Chamber of Time.

And if this bracelet worked like she hoped it would, it'd give its wearer the power to reverse time itself.

Of course, this one little piece of those magic gemstones was not _nearly_ as powerful as the full Chamber. That had trapped them in a time loop and had them and their friends reliving entire _days._ This would only be able to reverse up to a few minutes at best. It was a pretty tiny rock, after all.

But that was fine. Being able to redo a few minutes at a time was all Akko really needed in the first place.

She and Diana hadn't been dating for terribly long, but Akko had pretty quickly become aware of the kind of girlfriend she was to her. She could talk to Diana about (almost) anything, and she knew that the both of them were always there for each other. And it was an _amazing_ feeling to be able to call Diana her girlfriend, more thrilling and exciting than anything she could put to words. She wasn't sure if there was enough combined words in English, Japanese _and_ Fish to describe it.

But that was…sort of the exact problem, wasn't it? Whenever she and Diana were _alone_ together, and she tried to be romantic, she _really_ had no idea what to do. Most of her experience with romance at this point consisted of A) screaming and running away and B) chasing after insects with a magic flyswatter.

She couldn't even do it _normally_ , so whenever she tried to be romantic with someone as smart and pretty and overall completely amazing as Diana, she ended up making herself look like a goofball at best and a complete idiot at worst.

Combine all that with the (now undeniable) fact that anything that _could_ go wrong for Akko almost certainly _would_ go wrong for Akko, and she really couldn't imagine why Lotte would think this was an overreaction at all.

Lotte sat up in her seat. "I mean…be that as it may, I'm still not sure _why_ you think something like this is worth all the trouble. You have to admit, this plan is a bit…over the top?"

"It's _not_ over the top." Akko crossed her arms. "Whenever I'm with Diana on a date or something, I always end up getting way too nervous and saying something stupid. But tonight's going to be different! Now even if I _do_ say something stupid, I can just go back and _un_ say it!"

"But that's not…really solving anything, is it? I think you're just using it as a crutch. You already _know_ Diana likes you for you-"

"Unbelievable as it is." Sucy interjected.

"-So you should just be yourself instead." Lotte finished. "Have more confidence in yourself. You're usually really good at that!"

Akko just grumbled. "I _am_ being confident, and it's because I have a really good plan that you guys keep making fun of! And yeah, all that being myself stuff works fine for just getting her to _like_ me, but there's no way that's gonna work if I wanna _impress_ her tonight!"

Lotte frowned. "Akko, that's really not-"

"No, no." Sucy set a hand on Lotte's shoulder. "She's got a point there."

Akko smiled. "Exactly! No matter what goes wrong tonight, I can immediately fix it, _and_ look really impressive to Diana all at the same time! And besides that, I heard that couples who kiss during the Spring Festival are blessed with good luck, so I gotta do something!"

Sucy turned to Lotte. "Do they actually say that?"

Lotte shrugged. " _I've_ never heard that before."

By this time tomorrow, Akko was positive both her roommates were going to see just how brilliant this idea actually was. And it's not like she was going to just throw away all the effort it took to even get their hands on getting the thing.

Getting this bracelet was a long, arduous struggle. It was a difficult journey for all three of them, and it was an epic tale almost as exciting and worth telling as their first grand adventure within the Chamber of Time…

…But Akko decided it was best not to think about either of those stories in any way at all. Right now she was only going to be thinking about her festival date tonight and nothing else. Being the most spectacular girlfriend possible needed her _full_ concentration, after all.

Sucy leaned back on the bed. "So how do you know it actually works?"

Akko stopped fiddling with the bracelet. "…That's…a good point, actually."

She had to be sure it could undo an actual crisis without anyone else realizing there was one in the first place. It would do her no good if she messed up on the date and the bracelet couldn't reset everything back, and it certainly wouldn't help her make a good impression on Diana if she knew she was messing with this kind of stuff.

Akko perked up. "Hey Sucy. Remember all the times you used your potions on me and embarrassed me in front of everyone?"

"Yeah? What about-?"

Akko kicked Sucy directly in the shin.

Sucy doubled over, clutching her knee in pain. As soon as she got past her initial shock, she glared hot angry daggers into Akko. Even Lotte winced, and she wasn't even _on_ the receiving end. She moved from her seat to try and stop any confrontation, but Sucy had already bolted from the bed.

"Y-you little-!" Sucy growled, darting towards Akko. Her hands outstretched, like she was going to wring her neck in retaliation.

She actually might have, if Akko hadn't already concentrated her magic into her finger and touched the gemstone on her bracelet.

Sucy, alongside everything else around Akko, slowed and slowed until it completely froze in place. Her fingers were paralyzed only centimeters away. Everything around Akko seemed to turn shades of gray, as if all the color in the world had faded.

And then, the world started playing in reverse. Slowly at first, but steadily increasing speed. Sucy walked backwards to the bed. Lotte's shocked expression melted away. Akko could really only describe it as like watching someone rewind a movie.

A strange, indescribable light started to glint from the corners of her eyes, and she couldn't help but squint. As the seconds passed were gradually taken back, the light grew brighter and brighter, until…

* * *

Akko opened her eyes.

Sucy leaned back on the bed. "So how do you know it actually works?"

She was back to sitting on her bed, staring as indifferently as ever. And Lotte was back at the desk, waiting expectantly for her answer. The world, the colors, the light, everything was back to where it had been only seconds before. Akko studied their reactions for a moment, until it became undeniably clear.

They had no idea what just happened.

Lotte jumped as Akko suddenly began to cheer, pumping her fists through the air. "Ha! It really _does_ work! It totally works!" She briefly stopped to shrug in Sucy's direction. "Oh, and sorry I guess, Sucy."

Sucy's brows furrowed. "…Okay? For what?"

"Tell ya later!" She said, with no intention of actually doing so. "Right now, I gotta get dressed and go!"

Akko quickly shed her school uniform (Lotte and Sucy averted their eyes, and the former let out a resigned sigh that she wasn't going to get another word in on this argument) and traded it in for a casual shirt and shorts, something easy to walk around in.

With everything ready for the big night, Akko checked out of Luna Nova and headed into town, her heart pounding in her chest. They had agreed to meet at entrance at about seven, and she didn't want to start this out by being late. And truth be told, even if she didn't have to worry as _much_ about mistakes, she didn't want to be constantly using the bracelet's power if she could help it.

She wasn't stupid. She was _perfectly_ aware of how much of a hassle the Chamber of Time was, and if there was one lesson that had been thoroughly drilled into her head since she enrolled, it was how utterly easy it was for everything to go wrong, even when she had the best of intentions.

This bracelet was a powerful thing. And it had the potential to be _super_ dangerous if she wasn't careful.

So she was _only_ going to reset time if it was an emergency. If she somehow made Diana upset, or some random coincidence rained on their parade, or if she said something really stupid. Something that would irreversibly ruin the date.

…Except not _actually_ irreversibly, since she would then reverse it. But only if it was absolutely necessary to make the date the best date Diana's ever went on.

The moon was rising by the time she got to the festival grounds. She actually had to stop and stare in awe for a second. There were so many colorful booths and attractions set up for the Spring Festival. When she overheard about it, she just _knew_ she had to go, and who better to go with than Diana?

Akko weaved through the crowds of people, breathing in the smell of fried food, fresh air, and that distinctive unidentifiable carnival smell. There was supposed to be a modest fireworks show a few hours from now. How perfect would that be? Fireworks and a kiss, at the tail end of an unforgettable date? There was no _way_ Diana would ever forget a night like that.

She wasn't actually surprised to find Diana already waiting at the entrance. But she _was_ surprised to see Diana's date outfit. She was wearing a light and flowing summer dress, a simple denim jacket and some sensible walking shoes.

The easy-going look was almost unlike her. Akko had seen her in riding outfits and fancy ball gowns, and even her school uniform always managed to look meticulously put together. But she couldn't recall ever seeing her wear something so…casual, and relaxed.

…she looked…really pretty like that…

Akko's hands unconsciously went to fiddle with the ends of her shirt. She sort of wished she wore something nicer now. It was too late to change, and there was no way she could keep up a clothes transformation spell all night, but…maybe she could hit the bracelet a few times, go back and…?

No. No, she needed to save the bracelet's power for when it was _absolutely_ necessary. It was only a matter of time before _something_ went spectacularly wrong, after all. By this point, Akko knew her luck.

Taking a quick breath to quiet her jitters, Akko cheerfully waved. "Diana! Hi! Hope you weren't waiting long!"

Diana looked up, and a wide, genuine smile spread up her cheeks. It was when she made expressions like _that_ that Akko got intimidated and couldn't talk to her right anymore.

"Good evening." She greeted pleasantly as ever. "And no, I wasn't waiting too long. I arrived a bit earlier than we agreed upon, after all."

"Were you excited?" Akko asked hopefully.

In response, the corners of Diana's lips turned up just a little bit more.

Akko felt like her stomach flipped. "B-because _I_ was, you know? Excited, I mean. I _like_ carnivals and everything, and going with other people is fun. And I thought, you know, i-if _we_ went to…because…y-yeah." She pinched her eyes shut. Her face felt hot. "…I'm sorta rambling, aren't I?"

"A little bit." Diana bit her lip. "But I…certainly don't mind. I like hearing your thoughts."

This statement did not make the heat leave Akko's face.

"Well then?" Diana smiled. "Shall we go in?"

Akko quickly returned the smile, and happily walked over to Diana's side. She was so ready to have a great time tonight, and she was _sure_ Diana was going to be more than impressed once it was all over. Maybe she could do enough right she wouldn't even _need_ the bracelet.

Diana had been looking at her as they walked side by side into the festival grounds, and her lips parted to begin telling a story, but before she could even get a word out, she stumbled. The two of them both looked down at the sound of a splash.

Having not been looking where she was going, Diana had stepped right into a puddle of mud.

(She _hoped_ it was mud, at least.)

It had gone all the way up to her ankle, which definitely met her sock would be soaked through. "Ugh…" She groaned. "Hold on a minute, Akko. I need to get cleaned up here."

Diana went to sit on the curb to find a way to clean up, awkwardly trying to avoid putting weight on that foot. Akko was actually a little dumbfounded the first bad thing to happen on this date hadn't been to her.

But something like this probably justified using the bracelet, didn't it? They were at a festival. Most of what they were going to be doing during this date revolved around _walking._ Having to walk around with a soggy, squishy shoe was definitely a deal breaker, wasn't it?

She just barely noticed the fact that Diana's cheeks were reddening. Well, of _course_ she'd be embarrassed by something like this, wouldn't she? That sealed it. There was no way she was letting Diana start this off feeling bad.

Concentrating her magic, Akko tapped her bracelet. Once again, everything froze and turned gray. The world started to play in reverse, and the strange temporal light grew brighter and brighter.

* * *

"Well then?" Diana smiled. "Shall we go in?"

Man, that was a weird sensation.

But now Diana was clean and more importantly, back to good spirits. Once again, they walked in and Diana was _about_ to start telling a story, but this time, Akko stretched out her arm in front of her, stopping her in her tracks.

"Watch out Diana. There's a puddle there."

"Oh!" She flashed a grateful smile towards her date. "I didn't even see that. Good catch, Akko."

Akko couldn't help but puff out her chest a little bit. Now she looked competent _and_ chivalrous. This was actually going better than expected.

She and Diana began to walk the fair's grounds, and Akko found herself _really_ looking at Diana's dress. How could someone manage to look pretty in anything? It was almost unfair.

Akko flushed as Diana turned, catching her staring.

"What's on your mind?" Diana asked.

Akko swallowed. "Y-yeah, it's just…I think you look really p-pretty in that dress. I-I mean, you _always_ look pretty! You're…b-but I mean, it's…" Akko winced, and her voice gradually died in her throat. "…it's a…pretty…yeah."

Diana's cheeks turned a light shade of pink. She began to say something, but Akko was too busy hiding her face in her hand to hear.

What was _that?_ That was the most pathetic compliment she could've _possibly_ said. Was that dumb enough to justify using the thing? Because she felt completely stupid. But stupid enough to go back…?

"Y-you don't have to be _so_ embarrassed, Akko. I mean…it…it was kind of you to say, but…"

Wait, Diana even _noticed_ how embarrassed she was? You know what? Yeah. Definitely qualified as being worth it. She did _not_ want Diana thinking she was _this_ bad. Even if she, you know, was.

With a quiet grumble, Akko tapped her bracelet, and time reversed. The world turned gray, froze, all of that.

Ugh.

* * *

Alright. Deep breath, and be confident. She could do this. Diana would be impressed if she was confident. In fact, maybe she could even do something funny. Make her laugh. That would ease both their nerves, right? She could kill two birds with one stone.

She snapped her fingers and made some cheesy finger-guns, and spoke in a deeper, more masculine voice. "You know, Diana? You're lookin' fine in that dress tonight!"

Diana frowned. "…erm. W-what?"

"Y-you know! You look fantastic! A+!"

Words seemed to fail Diana for a moment. "Thank…you…?"

...Oh god, that was even _worse_.

If her face was flushed before, it was burning up to her ears now. And even Diana seemed completely unsure how to take that. Why did she even think that was funny in the first place? So, _so_ dumb.

Come on, this was stupid. Diana was pretty, so all she needed to do was be honest. She needed to just…not overthink it. Just let it out and be done with it.

She tapped the bracelet once more. Third time's a charm?

* * *

Akko briefly glanced in Diana's direction and said her piece as quickly and efficiently as possible, not even giving herself the _chance_ to screw it up.

"I like how you look in that dress."

"Oh." Diana blinked. "Thank you. That's kind of you to say. I'm glad you liked it."

A rather awkward silence hung over them.

Akko scratched the side of her head. "…That sounded…kinda forced, didn't it?"

"…somewhat. But you don't have to force yourself, okay? Just relax, Akko."

"Yeah, yeah. Sorry. Here, let me try this one more time. I got it for _sure_ this time!"

Diana tilted her head. "What do you mea-?"

* * *

She took a quiet breath. Be confident, don't overdo it, and don't underdo it and say something dumb. Just let it out and be cool.

Akko turned to Diana and smiled much more genuinely. "That dress looks really pretty on you, Diana! I r-really like it on you!"

Her voice cracked.

Gaaaaaaaaaaah.

But a light smile snuck up Diana's cheeks, and she brushed a lock of hair behind her ear. "Thank you. But...well, this is just…it's nothing really. Do you really it?"

Akko nodded. "Yeah! I mean, you always look really nice, but this is a really good look for you! I like it!"

Diana's face turned from pink to full-on red at the compliment. As opposed to actually saying anything, Diana just stared at her feet, her smile spreading from ear to ear.

She made Diana smile. Not only that, she made Diana _blush_. Smiles and blushes. What a wonderful combination.

Still, it was…probably not great that it took three tries to even get this far. She was hiding it, but she was so, _so_ nervous right now. She couldn't tell if there was a lot riding on this date, or if she was just overthinking things again.

And now she was overthinking about overthinking. Not great.

She fiddled with the bracelet as they walked, deciding to overthink that while she was at it. She had already used it a couple of times already, and sure, there weren't any major consequences or world-ending catastrophes, but… _could_ she use it too much? She really didn't understand how it all worked.

But she knew she _really_ didn't want to be alone with Diana without something to fall back on when she inevitably fell.

She was snapped from her thoughts when Diana set a hand on her shoulder. "Are you alright? You seem a bit quiet."

Akko chewed the inside of her cheek. Did she _really_ want to tell Diana all of this? Whining, especially only a few minutes into the date, certainly didn't make her look good at all.

But…

…it might be nice to hear what she thinks…

"Hey Diana?" She asked quietly. "Can…can I be honest with you?"

"Of course you can. Please, tell me what's troubling you."

Akko took a deep breath, and then the words just seemed to spill from her mouth. "The…okay…the truth is I'm really trying to…you know, impress you tonight, but I don't really know _how_."

Diana gently squeezed her shoulder. "You don't need to impress me, Akko." She said, with a reassuring smile. "You've done _more_ than enough for me these past few months. You never need to prove anything to me."

"I know, I know. It's just…" A long sigh escaped Akko's lips. "…Okay, let's say I really _do_ wanna impress you anyway, because I really like you and I think you deserve it. What should I do?"

"I'm not sure where all this is coming from, but you shouldn't worry. All you need to do is b-"

"And don't say be yourself, okay? Because I'm serious here! I wanna make tonight really special for you and I'm…I'm sorta not good at it."

Diana went very quiet, her eyes studying the sad expression on Akko's face. After a long, almost painful, pause, she gestured to one of the nearby stalls.

"…Here. Why don't we go and get some shaved ice? I'm sure we could both do with a nice treat."

Akko chewed on the inside of her cheek. "I mean…would doing that really make _you_ happy?"

"If you'll join me, it certainly will." Diana offered her hand for Akko to take, and let a bright smile spread across her cheeks, one that made her heart skip a beat. Akko couldn't help but return the expression in turn.

And then she brought her hand to her bracelet. "…Thanks, Diana."

* * *

Back to before Diana had noticed her being quiet, Akko turned and smiled with a little (perhaps exaggerated) cheer in her voice. "Oh hey, Diana! Do you wanna get some shaved ice?"

"Shaved ice?" Diana glanced at the stall, and shrugged rather simply. "I've never tried it before, but alright."

Akko blinked. That didn't sound very excited at all. Hadn't she _just_ asked for it? (Technically she hadn't, but hadn't she been about to if Akko had went and spilled her guts like that?)

"Do…do you _not_ want any or…?"

Diana shook her head. "N-no, shaved ice sounds fine. If you'd like some, I'm willing to try it. I didn't mean to sound disinterested. I was just…surprised, is all."

She smiled much more sheepishly than Akko could recall her ever doing. The whole exchange struck her as being weird. Why had she…?

"…Oh." Akko finally realized. "You were just saying that to make me feel better."

"What?"

"N-nothing." Akko took Diana's hand and led her over to the stall. "Here! I'm sure you'll like this stuff! They got a ton of flavors! You gotta like _one_ of them, right?"

Once again, nothing bad had happened, and this was…what, the sixth time? Maybe the bracelet wasn't actually that bad at all. She could be worrying about nothing at all again. And hey, maybe eating something sugary and sweet together would help both Diana to have an unforgettable time, and Akko's own confidence.

Honestly, she couldn't tell if she was more annoyed at not getting an easy answer, or more touched at just that little gesture of kindness. Maybe she wasn't always the most open about her affection, but Diana could be a really sweet girlfriend sometimes. There was a reason Akko thought she was worth all the effort this bracelet took to get.

They ended up getting a large rainbow colored cone of shaved ice. One with two spoons for them to share. Diana seemed…pensive at the sight of the syrupy treat, but once she slipped a spoonful into her mouth, her eyes lit up.

Akko held the cone for her, and made a note of how Diana seemed to favor cherry. She herself took large spoonfuls of the raspberry side.

"This is…better than I expected it would be." Diana said between bites.

"What did you expect?"

"Well…it's _ice_. I just expected it to be…water, really. But the flavoring is actually quite nice. Probably not very good for you, but it tastes better than it looks."

"That's nothing!" Akko grinned. "The _best_ part about this stuff is once all the ice is gone, you can just drink the extra syrup from the bottom!"

Diana's nose wrinkled, but nonetheless giggled at the mental image. "That sounds disgusting, Akko."

"Ooh! And plus, it like colors your tongue! See if mine's blue yet!"

She stuck her tongue out, and judging from the amused eye roll Diana made sure she could see, she suppose it must've actually been blue.

"Very nice, Akko."

"Now _you_ do it!"

"I'd rather not sticking out my tongue in public." Diana fondly shook her head. "Besides, it'd just be red. You'd never be able to tell."

Akko just giggled, and even Diana let out a happy little noise. And that vindicated a _lot_ of the whirlwind of emotions going through Akko right now.

And it's not like she was _abusing_ the power of the bracelet…was she? Because if she hadn't used it at all, their date would've started off with Diana having to clean mud off herself. And maybe that last trick she pulled was a little unnecessary, but it gave her the idea, which Diana ended up liking, so it all evened out to Diana having fun and being happy.

Her thoughts were cut short once more when she and Diana turned the corner around a stall, at the same time a heavier set man had been briskly doing the same. Akko ended up walking right into him. And what parts of their shaved ice that hadn't spilled onto the ground instead spilled onto the man's shirt.

The man groaned, and Diana sheepishly went to help him. "I am _so_ sorry, sir. Here. Allow me to fix it."

Akko just sighed. "No, I got this one too…"

Once more couldn't hurt, after all. And this one was actually more necessary than most of the others. In all honesty, the worries were draining from her heart with each reset.

* * *

This time around, Akko stopped in her tracks before the corner. And right on cue, the man brusquely turned past, barely missing the two of them.

"Some people should really watch where they're going." She muttered.

Diana nodded. "It's a bit crowded tonight. It's probably a good idea to keep an eye out for all the people here."

Akko held out the cone for Diana to take another spoonful. And as they continued into the festival grounds, she began to tell her about some of the many things the professors had her help with earlier in the day. And truth be told, Akko didn't understand most of it, but she found herself hanging on every word all the same.

At least, until Diana paused, in the middle of something about proper handling of phoenix remains or something fancy like that. "Oh. My apologies. I…didn't mean to start going on about schoolwork. I'm sure that's not what you want to hear on a date."

"No, no, it's fine!" Akko said. "I…like hearing your thoughts too."

And when Diana let out a smile so much more genuine than Akko had ever seen her wear, and knowing it was actually seriously being directed at _her_ , she wondered why she was even worried about this date at all.

Her luck may be bad, but even the universe had to cut her a break every now and again. And whenever it didn't, she'd just ask time for a quick re-do of the now and again until it did. So _let_ it all go wrong tonight. Because even if everything did, tonight opportunity was going to knock twice, and as many times as she needed to until she got it right.

After all, when she was literally wearing it on her wrist, how hard could it be to be the best girlfriend of all time?

* * *

 _A.N. And as we all know, Akko having such phenomenal cosmic power at her unsanctioned disposal is absolutely going to lead to nothing but good things. But more on that later, eh?_

 _The original idea was the date being at school, and Akko constantly running back to the Chamber of Time itself to reset everything. But since I don't actually know how the Chamber really works in canon (since the game isn't out in the west yet and I don't speak Japanese) and Akko running herself ragged only works so far, so decided to give her a bracelet, and the official answer as to how Akko got it is "don't worry about it"_


	2. In Which Akko is Very Dedicated

To Akko's delight, their date was going absolutely amazing.

It was from Diana's perspective, anyway. But really, that was the only one that mattered, didn't it? Over the past ten minutes (Akko _thought_ it was ten, at least. Kinda hard to tell with this sorta thing) she had tripped over her own feet twice, and managed to run directly into two different people _after_ the guy she and Diana had already run into.

She didn't know why that sort of thing kept happening to her. It was weird.

But the best part about tonight? No one knew about those silly mistakes but her, least of all Diana, which meant that tonight, Akko _had_ to have looked like the incredible super ultra-girlfriend she was aiming to be.

"So what do you want to do _now,_ Diana? We can look at games, or see if any of the stalls have anything fun in them, or there's _lots_ of food we can try! I think I saw a fortune teller over there! We could do that! Or we could go to the -!"

Akko stopped, realizing Diana was just staring at her with a polite smile on her face. She bashfully scratched the back of her head, silently weighing whether or not she should reset and start over.

"Heh…sorry. Started…babbling again. B-but what do _you_ want to do tonight, Diana?"

Diana cleared her throat. "Well…I don't have anything in mind, to be honest. I'm sure we'll see something that catches your eye eventually, but it might be nice to just…walk together for a bit until it does."

And if that's what Diana wanted, that's what Diana would get. As they strolled together, Akko kept her eyes peeled for anything and everything that Diana might find fun here. She knew there had to be _something_ that would really show Diana how much all this meant to her. She only stopped her search when she felt something sneak into her palm.

As they had been walking, Diana's hand had quietly drifted over to hers.

And Akko's heart leapt up to her throat. They held hands _plenty_ of times, obviously. But then it was usually Akko who took _hers_ , as opposed to the other way around.

So that meant she was doing something right, right?

If Diana was holding her hand in public she must _totally_ think she was cool, right? They were holding hands and not only were they holding hands but Diana was the one who decided they were holding hands, which meant the plan was working because if they were holding hands that meant Akko wasn't being really dumb and embarrassing because you don't choose to be holding hands with dumb embarrassing people, right? Her hand was really soft too. But it definitely meant the plan was working, right? She was totally-

Strangely enough, Akko hadn't noticed the ice cream wrapper lying on the ground until after she had already slipped on it. She promptly lost her footing, and proceeded to spill the rest of the shaved ice all over the front of Diana's white dress.

"S-sorry, Diana!" Akko giggled. "I wasn't looking where I was…I mean, there wasn't even that much _left_ , right? My bad!"

Diana grimaced at her now rainbow stained torso. "It's…fine. This shouldn't be too hard to clean up." She decided at last, her face setting in a lopsided smile. "But please try to be more careful. Everything aside, I'd rather not see anything else happen to you tonight."

Akko just shrugged as Diana retracted her hand. "Don't worry, because I promise you won't! In fact, let me fix this real quick, Diana!"

And more and more, she found that pressing that gemstone was becoming one of the most satisfying feelings she had ever felt. There was nothing quite like being able to wipe the slate clean.

* * *

And now not only was the dress clean, but Diana had no idea it had ever been dirty or that Akko had ever tripped. And best of all, their hands were back together. Akko couldn't help but let out another giggle. She believed in herself quite a bit, but right now? She was _bursting_ with confidence. She hadn't felt this sure of herself since she first came to Luna Nova with nothing but a deck of Shiny Chariot cards.

"Hey, I already asked you if there was anything you were dying to check out, right?"

"You did." Diana nodded. "And I'm afraid I still don't have a very good answer for you. But as I said, I'm more than alright if we were to just…take it a bit slower."

Akko tossed the remainder of the shaved ice in a nearby trash bin. "Well you gotta let me know, okay? This is gonna be the best night ever, and it's gonna be all about _you!_ "

Diana smiled fondly. And _gosh_ did her face look dazzling when she did that. "It really doesn't have to be. N-not to step on your plans, but…" She bit her lip. "I just...rather you not skip doing something you enjoy on _my_ account. I'd like you to have a good time as well."

"I already _am_ having a good time! That's why I gotta make sure this night is really fun for you too!"

Diana's lips twitched, and her cheeks turned a tinge of pink. "Do…do I not _seem_ like I…? B-because I _am_ having a nice evening with you already, I assure you. Really, I am."

And honestly, what was the point about worrying about how much trouble she was having walking tonight when Diana still seemed pretty tense? If Diana still didn't think she was cool even though she hadn't seen her do anything embarrassing, then that could only mean one thing…

Akko needed to _really_ turn up the charm tonight.

She was going to knock Diana off her feet, and in a _good_ way as opposed to the way she usually ended up doing it.

And when her eyes drifted over to a nearby festival game, or more specifically to one of the prizes hanging just above the vendor's waving hands, she knew _exactly_ what she could do to really wow her date.

Akko squeezed her hand and directed themselves over to the shooting gallery, pointing at the pink plush unicorn. "Ooh! Diana, aren't unicorns like your family's symbol or something? I _gotta_ win that for you!"

Diana gaped at the stuffed toy. "They…are my family's patron animal. But these sort of games are…that is, you _really_ don't need to-"

"No way!" Akko said, already sliding the Vendor a few bills. "I can totally get this for you, just watch!"

The Vendor handed her a cheap feeling plastic rifle, with a few corks stuffed in the end. "Alright, young lady! You knock down the target, you can pick any prize on the board!"

Akko shot Diana a quick wink, and quickly readied herself. She was _totally_ going to win this for her.

The Vendor stepped to the side with a toothy grin. "You got three shots so make 'em count!"

Akko took aim dead center at the target. But when she actually pulled the trigger, the cheap little rifle practically jumped from her hands, and the shot had veered completely off to the right, not even coming _close_ to the target.

This gun had more kick than she thought.

The second shot was another miserable miss. Only the third shot even made contact with the thing, and even then all it had done was bounce uselessly off the outermost ring of the target. Hadn't even shifted, let alone fell over.

And before Akko knew it, the rifle was taken from her hands. "Tough luck there, kid!" The Vendor shrugged. "Better luck next time, eh?"

Diana's lips parted to say some consoling words, but Akko cut her off with a determined smirk. "Hang on, Diana. I can totally get this! One more try!"

"Akko, really, it's okay. I'd rather you not spend any more money on this for my sake."

And to her credit, that was an idea Akko could get behind.

* * *

"You got three shots so make 'em count!"

This time, she steadied the rifle more in her hands. The recoil may have messed her up the first round, but she was ready for it now. Which left only the problem of actually _aiming_.

And it's not like the sideshow popgun was exactly built for accuracy. She looked down the sights of the barrel just like she saw everyone do in movies, but the corks still seemed to go every which way _except_ right down the middle.

She managed to hit the target on the second shot, and her _third_ cork hit the target almost dead center.

And yet, still only nudged the thing the slightest bit. Still, she smirked again. The shots all seemed to go more to the right than she expected. And maybe if she just aimed a little lower as well…

* * *

"You got three shots so make 'em count!"

(Did this count as cheating? She was only _using_ three shots, wasn't she? Probably fine.)

She pulled the trigger three times. And to both the Vendor and Diana's surprise, hit the target dead center three times. By the last direct shot, she sent the little target straight to the ground.

The Vendor let out an exaggerated laugh. "Hey! We got ourselves a winner!"

Akko quickly selected the plush unicorn from the board and, almost immediately afterwards, pushed it into Diana's arms. It was the goofiest looking cartoon horse, with a stitched on smile and a shamefully bright shade of pink fur. Diana blinked, caught between her embarrassment at being seen holding such a large stuffed animal in public and her gratefulness at receiving a hard won gift.

"…Thank you." She decided on at last. "I have to admit, I didn't know you were such a markswoman."

Akko grinned. "I've had a bit a practice, here and there."

Diana seemed somewhat unsure of how to carry the stuffed animal as they walked away from the shooting gallery. "Really though. You didn't need to pick out a prize for _me,_ so thank you for…this."

"Aw, come on." Akko scoffed. "It's not like I'm gonna win a game and pick a prize for myself right in front of you! Besides, whenever I try to give you gifts you always fight me over it!"

"I don't fight you over it." Diana said. "All I'm saying is I really don't _need_ you to give gifts to me. Usually I'm more than-"

"Dianaaaaaa…"

"I'm just saying." Diana defended herself. "And as I said, thank you."

"I know you don't _need_ a bunch of stuff from me, but I like giving you stuff! Just because things are okay, doesn't mean they can't also get even better!"

"I suppose that's true. You certainly have a way of making my day more colorful." Diana chuckled. "...I'm glad you asked me out tonight, Akko."

Akko's eyes lit up. "Do you really mean that?"

"Of course I do. It's been busy these last few days for me, so it's nice to have a break." Diana said. "…Not that I'm _only_ seeing this as a break, obviously not. It's just nice to…and I mean obviously I _enjoy_ school, I'm not just running myself ragged so please don't think that. But I'm saying I appreciate having…just…just the two of us, without having to-"

Diana paused, and shook her head.

"The _point_ is…I'm glad we're doing this tonight. I enjoy being able to spend time together, outside of school, like we usually do."

Akko swore her heart skipped a beat. Sure, she had been _hoping_ Diana was on board with this whole thing, but hearing it out loud was something totally different. Actually getting to _see_ Diana happy…it was a great feeling, to say the least.

But before she could say anything back, a long drone suddenly cut through the air. From, of all places, the bracelet itself.

Akko wasn't sure how to describe it. A bit like the death rattle of a giant whale, if it landed on a metal bridge that was slowly creaking under its massive weight. A little like that, but lower.

Diana flinched at the harsh noise. "What in the world was _that?_ Did that come from your…bracelet?"

The blood drained from Akko's face. "N-no! No, this is just-!"

Diana's brows furrowed, and she leaned down to inspect Akko's wrist. "Wait…what kind of bracelet _is_ that? That gemstone looks..."

"I-it's just…just a hand-me-down! It's nothing special! No big deal, or-!"

And once again, Akko's heart caught on Diana's expression. She didn't look angry. But she _did_ look concerned. Worried at how flustered Akko was becoming. Which, in some ways, was almost _worse_ , because now a flash of guilt cut through Akko's chest.

"…Okay look, Diana." She sighed. "I _really_ can't lie to you. Because I mean…you've been really nice to me ever since we…y'know. So I'm just gonna…"

* * *

Diana shook her head. "The _point_ is…I'm glad we're doing this tonight. I enjoy being able to spend time together, outside of school, like we usually do."

But Akko was currently too busy fiddling with the bracelet. She just reset again, and it hadn't made another noise like that. The gemstone _looked_ normal. She shook her wrist next to her ear, listening to see if there was anything loose inside it or something like that. But again, nothing.

That was weird. But it was…done now? Apparently? Then back to-

She suddenly realized Diana was staring at her expectantly. "…Um. I got distracted. I…probably should've thought of something to say…Hey, you didn't hear any weird noises just now, right?"

Diana's brows furrowed. "None that I can recall. What kind of noise do you mean?"

"Just checking. Sorry, what you said was _really_ nice! R-really, it means a lot to me! I'm gonna respond for real this time."

* * *

Diana shook her head. "The _point_ is…I'm glad we're doing this tonight. I enjoy being able to spend time together, outside of school, like we usually do."

Akko nodded. "Me too! I mean, that's…sort of the reason I wanna make this night all about you! I just really wanted you to do something that's just fun, and…I dunno, I thought this would be perfect!"

Diana let out a silent breath as she brushed a lock of blond hair behind her ear. "…Yes, well. I think it's very sweet of you to be so concerned."

"Well, duh! What are girlfriends for, right?"

"…Indeed."

Akko's hand quickly went to her wrist. "W-wait, it's fine that I called us girlfriends, right? You're not…like, _mad_ or creeped out or…?"

"Why would I be mad? You asked me out. This is a date, correct? That…would be the accurate term."

"I just wanna make sure! I mean, like I said, I'm trying to make this the best date ever for you! I just wanna make sure you have the most fun you could ever possibly have tonight!"

"Thank you, but…as I said, in so many words, I'm _already_ happy here with you, so it's really unnecessary."

"Come on, it's not unnecessary! It's not like it was even hard for me to do iy, either! Heck, I got to play a _game_ for that unicorn thing! It was completely worth it."

"Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I don't appreciate you getting this for me. Because I do. I'm _grateful_ for this. I just…w-what I'm trying to say is…" Diana pinched her eyes shut. "I…I'm sorry."

Akko's brows shot up. "What? Why…why are you _sorry?_ What's wrong?"

"Well, it's just…this gift, and how disinterested I'm sure I came across with the shaved ice...I-I'm sure I don't seem my usual self tonight. So I apologize if I came across as disingenuous or…b-because I _am_ happy to be here with you! I am! I'm just…!"

And once again, she paused mid-sentence. Her face red, and her body tense. She took a breath, and rubbed the side of her arm, struggling to find the words.

"…Sorry." Diana repeated. "The truth is I'm…nervous."

"But…why would _you_ be nervous?"

Diana turned the unicorn over in her hands, playing with the fur on its plush mane, pointedly avoiding looking at her. "Well, I've never really gone to this type of festival, and I'm not sure what…" She sighed. "…N-no, the _real_ truth is I've…I've never really done _this_ before. That is…going on dates, and being...and such and such. This is all somewhat new for me, so I…I'm a bit on edge tonight."

"On edge…?" Akko's hand went to her wrist. "Wait, you're not having a bad time, are you? Because-"

"No!" Diana quickly shook her head. "No, of course not! I just…wanted you to know, and I apologize if I seemed odd. I'm having a good time. A _great_ time, even. I assure you. This is…all me, tonight."

"So what's the matter then?"

And more importantly, how could she fix it?

Diana smiled rather emptily. "Honestly…you're always so confident, and sure of yourself, and…I'm afraid my attitude may have brought down the mood. I just…want you to know I'm happy to be here, and I'm…sorry for throwing all this on you. We can just…forget this happened, alright?"

Should…should she reset that? Because Diana was practically _asking_ , and from her red face and the way she was staring at the ground, she didn't look very proud to have admitted all that all at once.

But at the same time, Akko couldn't bring herself to do it. How awful would it be if Diana had all these insecurities locked up inside that she wasn't telling anyone about and Akko couldn't do anything to help her?

Akko set a hand ontop of Diana's, with a bright expression on her face. "…You know what I thought when we first met you?"

Diana glanced up. "What?"

"When we first met, you told me all that stuff about how magic's _supposed_ to be done and all the responsibilities that came with it, and I remember seeing how everyone looks up to you, and I thought, this girl _really_ needs to smile more!"

"…Did you really?" Diana asked somewhat skeptically. "Because as I recall, we…didn't particularly start out a good note."

"Maybe I thought it a _little_ meaner." Akko shrugged. "But I definitely really wanted to make you see just how fun magic really is! Because you were the biggest deal in the whole place, and I thought if I could make someone like _you_ smile, then I could do just about anything!"

After a moment, Diana let out a quiet giggle. "Well…I like to believe I'm a different person than I was back then. I've certainly heard from a few people that I've changed. The last time I returned home, Anna remarked she hadn't seen me smile as much as I do now in years. So…it seems you've accomplished yet another one of your dreams, Akko."

"I mean, I _guess._ " Akko shrugged. "But that dream kinda changed too. Before I used to just wanna make you smile because you seemed like…n-no offense, kinda maybe a bit of a grump?"

"None taken, believe me. And now?"

"Well…I dunno how to explain it, but…you know, it's _different_ when it's you. It's still my dream to make people happy, but…making _you_ happy is more special than that. Even if you're already happy, I just think of everything we ever did together, and I think you deserve to be even _happier_ , because you're…I dunno, you."

Diana said nothing. She simply weighed the words in her heads in complete silence. But eventually, her face erupted into a smile.

"…I see."

Akko wrung her hands together. "D-does that make sense? Because I mean…i-if it doesn't I can try saying it again!"

"Trust me, I completely understand what you meant. And…thank you."

"Yeah, no problem!" Akko beamed. "Wait, for what?"

Diana returned the feeling, albeit in a much gentler way. "For understanding why I acted the way I did, and tolerating my…little outburst there."

"I'm just sort of surprised, is all." Akko shrugged. "I didn't think _you_ could get nervous!"

Diana's brows furrowed. "Why exactly would you think that?"

"Er…no! That's not…I didn't...hang on a sec."

* * *

"And…thank you." Diana said again, for the first time.

Akko beamed again. "Of course, Diana! It's no problem at all!"

Diana cleared her throat. "In…in any case, let's keep going then, shall we? I believe someone wanted us to enjoy our night out."

Akko reached down to take Diana's hand once more. "Right! Don't you worry about a thing, Diana! Tonight is gonna be unforgettable, I guarantee it!"

"Well…you always _have_ had a talent for leaving impressions, I'll certainly give you that."

"And that's a _good_ thing, right?"

"It's certainly something I admire you, at least."

With renewed vigor, Akko led Diana through the festival, weaving through the crowds of people. Outwardly, Diana's face was somewhat inscrutable, aside from her lips being gently upturned. But Akko knew her better than that.

The way Diana's hands swung just the tiniest bit more freely at her sides, the way she stopped keeping her head held so high and instead just let her shoulders fall. And most of all, the way her blue eyes seemed to light up as they followed Akko's finger to whatever booth caught her interest.

This was what she had been talking about. Someone needed to take the weight of the world off this girl's back sometimes. It felt good, to be someone Diana could be proud of.

After a few minutes of walking hand in hand, they found themselves in front of a dunk tank. The man inside was cheerily egging everyone who walked passed by to try their luck. Akko decided against it, figuring it was still too chilly out to feel that good about it, but an idea struck her all the same, something to take the rest of the tension out of Diana.

Akko nudged Diana. "Hey, check it out, they got a dunk tank here."

"…Did you want to try your hand at this?"

"Nope, I just wanted you to _sea_ it!"

Akko gestured to the tank with the biggest open mouthed grin on her face she could manage. Diana merely squinted at her.

"…Yeah, you're right." Akko relented. And now she was dedicated to getting this right. "That wasn't funny. Be right back."

"Wait, where are you go-?"

* * *

Akko nudged Diana. " _Water_ you waiting fo- Ugh, no. I'm sorry, that's just dumb."

* * *

Akko nudged Diana. "When it comes to jobs, he's all wet!" And once again, her smile disappeared as quickly as it came. "…Wait, that doesn't make much sense."

Diana stared at her a moment, before she murmured in realization. "Oh. I get it. All wet. Because he's in a dunk tank."

Akko rolled her head. "Yeah, I know, that one sucked…" She grumbled to herself. "Diana, what's a funny joke about water?"

"…no offense, but…why?"

"Because I can't seem to think of anything good! I mean, cut me some slack here. Making jokes in a second language is kinda tough, you know? And if I can't get it, it's gonna bug me all night."

"I'm…not sure I understand what this about, but…" Diana tapped her chin. "…Maybe you could say something's unfathomable? You know, as in a fathom? A measurement of water depth."

"…Oh." Akko blinked. "And what does unfathomable mean?"

"It's another synonym for unbelievable. So if you were making a joke about that dunk tank, you could say it's unfathomable that he…" Akko cocked her head. Diana averted her eyes. "…Look, comedy…isn't really my forte."

"No, no!" Akko shook her head. "Don't worry about it! Here, lemme try that one out!"

* * *

Akko nudged Diana. "Man, hard to believe someone would sign up to sit in there, right?"

"Yes, I suppose it is. Especially when it's still quite brisk outside tonight."

"I think I'd even call it unfathomable!"

Akko didn't even wait to see what Diana's response might've been before she felt another flash of emotion weigh down her gut.

"…Actually no. I can't steal your jokes. I barely ever hear you tell any! I feel bad."

* * *

Akko crossed her arms, trying to focus her thoughts.

From Diana's perspective, Akko had just gone from standing around smiling to tapping her foot on the ground, muttering under her breath. And naturally, she was concerned. "Are you…alright?"

"Yeah." Akko mumbled. "I'm thinking."

"What about? You seem quite…frustrated, to be honest. Is everything…?" She trailed off, waiting for Akko to at least look in her direction.

…Maybe it was 'fishy'?

Wait no, there weren't any fish here, that would be dumb too. Or maybe she could…no, Diana wouldn't think that was funny either. Now she was even _more_ annoyed because she couldn't think of anything, darn it.

…Dam it? No, that wouldn't go over well.

Diana tenderly reached out to Akko's shoulder, her face stitched with worry. "…Akko?"

And she flinched as Akko suddenly snapped her fingers. "Okay, okay. What if I said, he must be getting _tide_ of this? You know? Tide, tired. Kinda sounds the same, right? I think that'll work."

"I…Wha-?"

"Alright, just wait right there. I got it this time."

* * *

Akko nudged Diana, with a smile on her face. "You kinda gotta feel bad for that guy in there, don't ya?"

Diana looked at her curiously. "I suppose?"

"I mean think about it!" Akko did her best to keep a straight face. "Getting dunked in a pool of cold water all day? That guy must be getting _tide_ of this!"

Again, she proudly gestured to the dunk tank, waiting for Diana's reaction. But it never had a chance to come.

Not before the bracelet let out yet _another_ one of its long, low-pitched drones.

The brilliant green of the gemstone flashed into a much more sickly yellow for a fraction of a second, and with it came an unearthly whine. It was a pained, strangled sound, one in an uncomfortable space between too mechanical and too organic. And it was loud enough to startle even the man in the dunk tank, to say nothing of the shock and confusion of Diana and just about everyone in the crowd around them.

"What in the world was _that?_ " Diana glanced around, utterly confused. "D-did that come from your bracelet?"

Akko growled at her wrist. "Stupid thing! You messed up my punchline!"

Great. Now she had to start _all_ over. She hit the gemstone rougher than she needed to, and huffed as the world turned gray around her and time reversed.

* * *

And she was back where she was again. As discreetly as she could, she glared down at her bracelet. Now if it could just let her _finish_ this time, that would be great. Once she was satisfied that it was going to be quiet, she took a breath and, what else? Nudged Diana.

"You kinda gotta feel bad for that guy in there, don't ya?"

"I suppose?"

"I mean think about it! Getting dunked in a pool of cold water all day? That guy must be getting _tide_ of this!"

Diana stared at her a moment. "…Oh, I get it." She smiled. "Tide. That's clever."

And to Akko's delight, Diana actually laughed. She actually _laughed!_

…Well, it was more of a vaguely amused hum, but with Diana that's almost the same thing. She didn't think she _ever_ got that kind of reaction from Diana with one of her jokes before.

Taking her hand once more, she set out to find the next thing for them to explore together, eager to ride this mood to its conclusion.

"Hey I saw a love tester over there! We should try it! I bet we get the best thing!"

Diana arched a brow. "Wait, did you _really_ just lead us over here for the sole purpose of making a pun?"

"No, I already told you why I did it."

"Refresh my memory, please?"

Akko replied without missing a beat. "Because you look ten times prettier when you smile."

Diana stuttered, before she ducked her head down, trying to hide the full red blush on her face. "…You're just dedicated to this tonight, aren't you?"

Akko just giggled in response. She was _always_ dedicated to it, of course. But tonight, she was just better at it than usual. Mostly because tonight, even she couldn't manage to do it wrong. She wondered if these love tester machines were just random, or if they set the ranking as soon as you turned it on. Probably be easy to find out with a few resets. Ruined the spirit of the thing, but she _really_ wanted to see Diana's reaction if they got the top ranking.

(And truth be told, Akko only said it so fast as to not give herself time to think about it.)

"Hey do you want me to carry your unicorn for you?"

"I-if you wouldn't mind, that would be nice."

* * *

 _A.N. It's time for another engaging round of 'how many ellipses can I stuff in this before it turns into a connect the dots game' grab your pens and scoreboards kiddos_

 _Special thanks to my good friend Alexis for beta reading this for me!_


End file.
